Apparatus for controlling yarn diameter on bobbin winder



Jan. 2, 1968 c. H. ANDERSON ETAL 3,361,373

APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING YARN DIAMETER ON BOBBIN WINDER 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 26, 1966 WQM Jan. 2, 1968 c. H. ANDERSON ETAL 3,361,373

APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING YARN DIAMETER 0N BOBBIN WINDER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 26, 1966 0 T w E 5 www W42 MW 1 IYQ. 5 0 i aw Jq S dm I I 2 wq mm W I V. l i I1 m.

Jan. 2, 1968 c. H. ANDERSON ETAL APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING YARN DIAMETER ON BOBBIN WINDER 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 26, 1966 1968 c. H. ANDERSON ETAL 3,351,373

APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING YARN DIAMETER ON BOBBIN WINDER Filed Aug. 26, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet avvavrozs, Om fl/vamsa/v JOSEPHE flM/EGL /0 Jan. 2, 1968 c. H. ANDERSON ETAL 3,361,373

APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING YARN DIAMETER ON BOBBIN WINDER Filed Aug. 26, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 /NVEN7'0E.5; 01a 4NDEP50N JOSE/7H5. ///6 L/0 MMM United States Patent 3,361,373 APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING YARN DIAMETER 0N BOBBIN WINDER Carl H. Anderson, Warwick, and Joseph E. Di Meglio,

Johnston, R.I., assignors to Leesona Corporation, Warwick, R.I., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Aug. 26, 1966, Ser. No. 575,343 34 Claims. (Cl. 242-27) The present invention relates to textile machinery for the automatic winding of weft yarns onto bobbins to be used on looms and, more specifically, to a device for automatically and continually controlling the rate at which such winding proceeds so as to control the diameter of the mass of yarn wound on the bobbins and thus the size and shape of the yarn package. The invention also relates to an override mechanism capable of making fine adjustments, in response to a torque signal, in a lost motion transmission device as defined herein.

Machines which, in cooperation with a loom, wind weft yarn on bobbins and automatically substitute such fully wound bobbins for denuded ones in the shuttles of a loom on the fly, i.e., without shutting down the loom, are known in the art. Goodhue et al., in U.S. Patent 2,763,443, disclose a mechanism which operates in cooperation with a loom automatically to draw empty bobbins one at a time from a magazine, don each bobbin on a winding spindle, wind weft yarn thereon, dofi the wound bobbin and repeat the cycle. Depuy et al., in British specification 1,022,494, disclose an automatic device of this type capable of selectively winding one of several types of yarn, each of different count, thickness or bulk characteristics, in the described manner and of segregating the wound bobbins according to the type of yarn with which each is bound. By this means, looms operating with a plurality of colors, or types, of weft yarn may be kept in continuous operation during bobbin changes.

Experience with such mechanisms has indicated the desirability of winding bobbins to a constant yarn diameter. The term yarn diameter will be understood to mean the diameter of the circle circumscribing the mass of yarn Wound upon a bobbin as measured anywhere along the length of the bobbin except the end portions thereof, that is those portions near the extremities of the bobbin where the yarn mass is building up to, buthas not reached, its maximum diameter. The term constant yarn diameter will be understood to apply to a wound bobbin on which the yarn diameter is the same, within industrial limits of accuracy, anywhere along its length.

Inasmuch as wound bobbins are stored in a horizontal position, i.e., resting on the mass of wound yarn, an uneven wind may contribute to the jamming of the bobbin-transfer mechanism, requiring shut-down of the loom. In those instances wherein the bobbin winding mechanism provides for a tip bunch, the operation of those elements serving to extract the tip bunch at the time of bobbin delivery to the shuttle may be hindered by an uneven wind of yarn.

An evenly wound bobbin will also contain more yarn than an unevenly wound one for any given maximum diameter. In the operation of the loom, this will result in fewer transfers of bobbins to and from the shuttle. Inasmuch as the greatest wear and the highest frequency of breakdown of looms occurs during bobbin transfer, it follows that any reduction in the number of bobbin transfers per unit of time is highly desirable. Bobbins wound on apparatus embodying one feature of the instant invention also contain a greater quantity of yarn on the end portions thereof than those wound on equipment heretofore used.

The apparatus of the instant invention produces bobbins which are full and smooth of wind, which are well balanced, and which possess good rolling and stacking characteristics.

The advance in the art as set forth herein is made possible by means of closed loop control circuit which, during the winding process, continuously senses the diameter of the yarn already wound on the bobbin and increases or decreases the amount of overlap between successive courses of turns of yarn being wound on the bobbin. Yarn diameter is a function of the degree of this overlap.

An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic weft bobbin winding machine capable of maintaining the diameter of yarn being wound on bobbins substantially constant.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a machine capable of winding a bobbin more fully at the outset of the winding cycle, so that a greater proportion of the bobbin is wound with yarn at maximum yarn diameter than on bobbins wound on machines now known.

A further object of the invention is the provision of mechanism to produce a more fully wound and smoothly surfaced bobbin having a constant yarn diameter.

Still another object of the invention is to provide, in association with an automatic weft bobbin winding machine, a mechanism which continuously operates to control the rate of yarn guide advance as a function of bobbin diameter.

Another object is to provide, in association with an automatic bobbin Winding machine operating on a time wind basis, an apparatus which is capable of overriding said time winding mechanism whenever the yarn diameter deviates from the desired norm and which changes the rate of wind to return the yarn diameter to that desired norm.

Another object of this invention is to provide means for making a fine adjustment, in response to a torque signal, in the amount of motion transmitted by a lost motion transmission device.

Another object is to provide means for maintaining the rate of operation of apparatus driven by a lost motion transmission operating at a predetermined level of output by continuously sensing the level of said output and adjusting the setting of the lost motion transmission to return said output to said predetermined level.

The manner in which these and other objectives of this invention are accomplished and in which the advantages thereof are realized will become apparent to those skilled in this art from a consideration of this specification, when taken in conjunction with the drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective rendition of the exterior parts of an automatic bobbin winding machine employing an embodiment of the instant invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view, on a larger scale than FIGURE 1, of that portion of the mechanism of the machine shown in FIGURE 1 which is encased in the gear housing, shown with the cover of the said housing removed, said portion including the main drive shaft for the winding machine, the drive means for the yarn guide, the bobbin size control mechanism and of the cycling mechanism, a portion of a plate being broken away to reveal the structure beneath it;

FIGURE 3 is a front cross-sectional elevational view on the plane indicated by line 3-3 of FIGURE 2 of certain elements of the machine;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional elevation on the plane Patented Jan. 2, 1968 i) indicated by line 4-4 of FIGURE 2, certain parts being omitted for the sake of clarity;

FIGURE 5 is a view, withparts broken away, of a clutch member for engaging and disengaging certain instru-mentalities which are of importance for the operation of the machine;

FIGURE 6 is a cross-section on the plane indicated by line 6-6 on FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a detail view, partially broken away, of certain key elementsshown in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 8 is an end view of the elements shown in FIGURE 7, as seen on the plane indicated by line 88 in FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a schematic front elevation of a modification of the invention suitable for winding bobbins to a predetermined profile; and

FIGURE 10 is a schematic cross-section on the plane indicated by the line 1019 on FIGURE 9 of the said modification of the invention.

Inasmuch as the mechanism of the instant invention operates in intimate cooperation with elements found in the prior art machines of the type mentioned, a brief description of the overall structure and function of such a machine is included in this specification. However, a detailed description of those elements of the prior art machines which do not cooperate intimately with the elements introduced by this invention are omitted herefrom. Such descriptions may be found in the disclosures of the prior art machines, reference to some of which will be found herein.

Overall function 0 the machine The operating cycle of the machine begins with the donning of an empty bobbin on the winding spindle. As may be seen in FIGURE 1, empty bobbins B are stored in the bobbin supply hopper generally indicated at 10. At the beginning of a'cycle, donning arms 11 and 11a operate to remove a bobbin from the supply hopper and place it into winding position between driver chuck 12 and outboard chuck 13 of the spindle. The appropriate yarn to be wound on this bobbin is led to the cleats (not shown) on the lefthand end of the mounted bobbin through yarn guide. 14 which is located on threaded traverse rod 15. Rotation of the bobbin mounted in the chuck will result in the yarn being supplied from the yarn guide to the bobbin surface in a radial plane, that is in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the bobbin.

As will be explained in greater detail below, traverse rod 15 undergoes a compound motion having a reciprocating component and an intermittent rotating component, thus constantly changing the radial plane in which the yarn is fed to the bobbin. The connection of the yarn guide 14 with the traverse rod 15 is such that the intermittent rotation of the latter results in rightward translation of the former along the traverse rod, whereas the reciprocating motion of the traverse rod 15 results in a coincident reciprocation of equal magnitude in the yarn guide 14. The net effect of the compound motion of the traverse rod 15 is to cause the yarn guide 14 to undergo a series of reciprocations all ofequal amplitude, but with the midpoint of each reciprocation displaced slightly to the right of the midpoint of the reciprocation immediately preceding it. Inasmuch as the bobbin rotates at a constant speed, the amount of rightward displacement of each reciprocation of yarn guide 14 relative to the one immediately preceding it will determine the degree to which successive layers of turns of yarn upon the bobbin fail to overlap each other completely. Thus, by changing the amount of rightward displacement of yarn guide 14 per reciprocation, which is accomplished by changing the amount of rotation of traverse rod 15 per reciprocation, the yarn diameter can be adjusted.

Size control wheel 16 preferably has a profiled face as indicated in FIGURE 1. It is fully rotatably mounted on shaft 16a, which protrudes from support arm 16!),

which in turn is releasablyclamped by screw means to the unsupported end of shaft 17. By manually adjusting the angular orientation at which support arm 16b is fastened to shaft 17 the yarn diameter to be produced by the machine is adjusted to the desired value. By spring means to be described, the edge of size control wheel 16 is urged into contact with the mass of yam being shaft 17 about its own axis. The direction of this rotation is indicative of whether the yarn diameter is becoming larger or smaller than desired and the magnitude of this rotation is proportional to the magnitude of the change in diameter. This rotation is converted, by means to be described hereinbelow, to a signal which changes the rate of rotation of threaded traverse rod 15, and thereby the amount of advance between successive reciprocations of yarn guide 14, and thus ultimately the yarn diameter to the desired magnitude. The action of size control wheel 16 constantly contacting the rotating bobbin in the region where yarn has just been deposited on it also serves to compress the mass of yarn, providing for more yarn on a wound bobbin of given yarn diameter.

[Mechanism whereby yarn guide is moved relative to bobbin As may best be seen in FIGURE 2 belt 18 transmits the power for all of the mechanism to be described herein, by means of pulley 19, to the main drive shaft 20 from the motor M poised atop the gear housing H (FIGURE 1). The bobbin being wound is driven at a rotary speed which is at some convenient ratio (as for example a ratio of fourteen to one) to that of main drive shaft 29 by means of a gear mechanism not shown. Cam 21 on drive shaft 20 guides cam follower 22, which is fastened to traverse rod 15 in such fashion as to permit the traverse rod to rotate freely with respect to it but to transmit all reciprocating motion to it. Thus each complete revolution of drive shaft 20 will result in one complete cycle of reciprocation of traverse rod 15.

The manner of providing the rotational component for the motion described by traverse rod 15 can best be understood by consideration of FIGURE 4. Rocker arm 23 is mounted for free rotation about stud 24, which is immovably mounted on bracket B. Tension spring 25, acting through yoke 26, pulls upward on the lefthand end of rocker arm 23 and thus urges cam follower 27, afiixed to the righthand portion of rocker arm 23, into contact.

with the surface of cam 28 which is mounted on main drive shaft 20. Pin 29, mounted on the free end of rocker arm 23 rests in slot 30 of plate 31a and oscillates plate 31a one cycle for each revolution of main drive shaft 20.

Only half of the oscillatory motion of slotted plate 31a (namely that in the counter-clockwise direction) is transmitted through the direction-selective device 31, which is a one-way clutch of structure and manner of operation well known in the art, to spur gear 31b mounted athwart it. The other half of the oscillatory motion, i.e., that in the clockwise direction, is absorbed by the one way clutch. The unidirectional rotational motion of spur gear 31b is transmitted by means of spur gear 32 to traverse rod 15. Traverse rod 15 is slideably mounted within the hub of spur gear 32 so as to rotate therewith but to reciprocate axially unhindered thereby. Thus, traverse rod 15 is rotated in one direction through some angle for each revolution made by main shaft 20. The magnitude of this angle determines the rotational speed of traverse rod 15 relative to that of main drive shaft 20.

The rotational speed of traverse rod 15 relative to that of main drive shaft 20 is controlled in response to two separate input signals. The first of these signals is manually applied and reflects general bulk characteristics of the yarn being wound, such as its count, thickness and compactability. Thus the machine can be adjusted to wind yarn of different characteristics onto successive bobbins and produce therefrom packages of substantially equal diameter. The second signal is in response to the yarn diameter sensed by size control wheel 16. By adjusting the rotational speed of traverse rod 15 in response to variations in the diameter of the yarn wound upon the bobbin detected by size control wheel 16, a closed control loop is formed capable of controlling the winding to produce a package upon which the yarn diameter is maintained at a predetermined constant diameter.

Mechanism to control rotational speed of traverse rod in response to the manually applied signal The control of the rotatoinal speed of traverse rod 15 is accomplished by means of a lost motion device which permits cam follower 27 to remain in contact with the surface of cam 28 during only a portion of its revolution. The motion of rocker arm 23 is partially restrained so that cam follower 27 is lifted from the surface of cam 23 for a portion of each revolution thereof, thereby transmitting to traverse rod 15 only a portion of the motion represented by the travel of cam follower 27 from the crest of carn 28 to its trough. This partial restraint of the motion of rocker arm 23 is accomplished when anvil element 33, cooperatively mounted on the wedge portion 34 of rocker arm 23, strikes the bottom of the striking means, yarn diameter adjusting screw 35. Screw 35 has been previously manually adjusted to a predetermined height to correspond to the bulk characteristics of the yarn being wound, and is maintained at this height by the locknut 36 being fastened against yarn diameter adjusting screw selector plate 37.

Where the machine may be called upon to wind succes'sive bobbins with yarns of different bulk characteristics a plurality of yarn diameter adjusting screws 35 can be mounted on plate 37 so that each may be preset to the desired height for a particular yarn, the screw corresponding to the yarn being wound in any given cycle being indexed into juxtaposition with the striking surface of anvil element 33 by rotating screw selector plate 37 about its pivot 37a by means disclosed in the said Depuy et a1. reference.

It will be seen that the magnitude of the fraction of the rotational cycle of cam 28 which is transmitted to traverse rod 15 will be directly proportional to the clearance between the bottom of yarn diameter adjusting screw 35 and striking surface 331; of anvil element 33, using the position of rocker arm 23 at the moment when cam follower 27 is at the crest of cam 28 as a reference point. To put this another way, the greater the clearance between screw 35 and anvil 33 when cam follower 27 is in its reference position at the crest of cam 28, the more will traverse rod 15 be rotated during each revolution of main drive shaft 20, and the less yarn will be wound on a bobbin. Thus for heavier yarns, the yarn diameter adjusting screw setting will be such as to provide more clearance.

Mechanism to control rotational speed 0 traverse rod in response to variations in diameter of wound yarn detected by size control wheel As has been seen, variations in the diameter of the yarn wound upon the bobbin cause size control wheel 16 to rotate shaft 17 about its own axis. As indicated in FIGURE 2, shaft 17 enters gear housing H through aper ture 38 fitted with journal bearing 39. Within the righthand portion of gear housing H shaft 17 is annularly received in hollow sleeve 40 which is rotatably journalled in support bracket 41 of gear housing H but restrained from axial movement by snap ring 42. Key 43 riding in keyway 44 of shaft 17 locks shaft 17 and sleeve 40 for common rotation, although permitting shaft 17 to move axially unrestrained by axially restrained sleeve 49. Collar 45 surrounds sleeve 40 at a point intermediate between support bracket 41 and aperture 38 and is adjustably aflixed thereto by set screw 45a. By rotating this collar 45, adjustment may be made in the energy stored in torsion spring 46 which encircles sleeve 40, one end thereof being received in a socket formed in support bracket 41 and the other end thereof being held in another socket .5a in collar 5, and thereby in the force with which size control wheel 1a is held against the mass of yarn being wound on the bobbin.

By a mechanism now to be described, the apparatus of the instant invention converts the clockwise and counter clockwise rotations of shaft 17, which represent signals that the yarn diameter on the bobbin is too small or too large, respectively, into leftward and rightward movements, respectively, of anvil element 33 with respect to wedge portion 34, of rocker arm 23. As may best be seen in FIGURES 7 and 8, surface 34a of the wedge portion of rocker arm 23 is biased, sloping downward to the right. Therefore, leftward movement of anvil 33 with respect to wedge portion 34, as tension spring 47 holds curved lower surface 33a of anvil element 33 against the biased surface 34a, has the net effect of decreasing the distance between the striking surface 33b of anvil 33 and the lower surface of pin 35, thereby decreasing the fraction of the total motion of cam 28 transmitted by the lost motion device. This results in less rotation of traverse rod 15 per revolution of main drive shaft 2%, which produces a larger yarn diameter. Conversely, rightward movement of anvil element 33 with respect to wedge portion 34- positions the anvil at a lower point on the biased surface 34a, which in turn increases the distance between striking surface 331) and the bottom of pin 35 so that a larger fraction of the total motion of cam 28 is transmitted to traverse rod 15. This results in more rotation of traverse rod for each rotation of main drive shaft 28 and a smaller yarn diameter.

The manner in which the leftward and rightward movement of wedge 33 with respect to anvil 34 in response to rotation of shaft 17 is accomplished will now be described. As has previously been stated sleeve 4% is locked for rotation with shaft 17. As can best be seen in FIG- URE 3, lever arm 48 is affixed to sleeve 40 and emanates a radially therefrom just to the left of where the latter is supported by support bracket 41. Somewhat to the left of that another lever arm, designated 54, emanates radially from sleeve 40. Hub 54a, which is integral with lever arm 54, encircles sleeve 40 and contains arcuate keyway 54b. As may best be seen in FIGURES 3 and 4, key 49 locks lever arm 48 against rotation with respect to sleeve 40 and limits the rotation of lever arm 54 with respect to sleeve 40 to the length of keyway 54b. Retaining ring 55 limits the leftward axial movement of lever arm 54- on sleeve 40. Axial displacement of lever arm 54 is also resisted by torsion spring 56 which encircles sleeve dil and key 49 in the region between lever arms 48 and 54, one end thereof being held in hole 56a provided therefor in plate 48 and the other end thereof being bent about the edge of lever arm 54 at a considerable radius from sleeve 40 in order to provide a sizeable moment arm acting to urge lever arm 54 in a counter-clockwise direction.

The end of lever arm 54 remote from sleeve 40 is pinned to connecting link 55 which, at its other end, is pinned to one end of linkage 57 which, like rocker arm 23 is centrally pivoted for rotation about stud 24 mounted on bracket B. The other end of linkage 57 is bifurcated, pinning by means of pin 57a between its tynes one end of anvil 33-. Pin 57a also projects beyond the forward tyme of bifurcated linkage 57 to provide a surface which may follow surface 52a of cam 52, the function of which will be described below.

As can best be seen in FIGURES 4 and 7, clockwise rotation of shaft 17 and sleeve 40 (indicating too small a yarn diameter on the bobbin) will cause clockwise rotation of key 49 and thereby of lever arm'54. This causes rightward displacement of link 55, counter-clockwise rotation of bifurcated linkage 57 about stud 24, resulting in pin 57a urging anvil 33 leftward. As has already been explained, this adjusts the setting of the lost motion device to cause slower advance of the yarn guide and an increase in yarn diameter, i.e., correction of the condition 'sensed by the size control wheel. Similarly, countercrease in yarn diameter, again correcting the condition sensed by the size control wheel.

At the end of a winding cycle, by cycling cam means 7 to be more fully described below, sleeve 40 and shaft 17 are rotated sharply in a counter-clockwise direction, because size control wheel 16 must be removed from the immediate proximity of the bobbin least it interfere 'with the doffing operation. As the next winding cycle stabilizes, that is at the yarn being wound on the newly donned bobbin is building up toward the desired diameter, sleeve 40 and shaft 17 are maintained in this counter-clockwise rotated position by the cycling cam mechanism to be described below. Inasmuch as, in this position, the mechanism described would ordinarily call for faster movement of the yarn guide, resulting in a smaller yarn diameter, a special override mechanism is desirably provided for operation at the start of a winding cycle. Pinned to the end of lever arm 48 remote from sleeve 40 is one end of lengthadjustable link 50. Near the other end of link 50 is an elongated slot 51. Cam 52 is pivotally mounted on the same stud 24 as also serves as the pivot for rocker arm 23 of the lost motion device and for bifurcated linkage 57. Pin 53-, which projects from one end of cam 52, is slidin-gly received in slot 51 of length-adjustable linkage 50. It will be seen that when shaft 17 and sleeve 40 are rotated to an extreme counter-clockwise position, cam 52 will also be rotated in a counter-clockwise direction by the linkage just described, pressing surface 52a of cam 52 against the protruding portion of pin 57a, forcing anvil 33 to the right. This rightward movement of anvil 33 adjusts the lost motion mechanism to slow yarn guide advance during the entire period that shaft 17 is rotated to its counter-clockwise position by the cycling mechamsm.

Mechanism whereby size control wheel traverses bobbin from left to right in coordination with yarn guide.

The manner in which traverse rod 15 is reciprocated and rotated has already been described. As can best be seen in FIGURE 2, the lefthand end of traverse rod 15 is received in sleeve 58 in such fashion as to permit the free reciprocation of traverse rod 15 but to transmit the rotation thereof to sprocket gear 59 disposed on the opposite side of bearing block 60, which is bored to receive sleeve 58 therethrough. Chain 61 passes over idler gear 62 to transmit the rotation of sprocket gear 59 to sprocket gear 63.

Sprocket 63 drives rod 64, the entire length of which has a thread equal in pitch to that of the thread of traverse rod 15. Bearing block 66 is bored to contain journal bearing 66a, which permits the rotation of rod 64. Shaft 17, which, it will be recalled, is hollow, when in its left-most position as viewed in FIGURE 2 telescopes over and envelops rod 64. Disposed in the annular space between shaft 17 and rod 64, as may best be seen in FIG- URE 3, is spring 65, which urges shaft 17 in a leftward direction. During the progress of a winding cycle, shaft 17 is held into engagement with the thread of rod 64 by the action of clutch 71, the structure and operationof which will be described in detail hereinbelow. Thus it is seen that the rotational motion of traverse rod 15, which results in the rightward movement of yarn guide 14, is

transmitted throughsleeve 58, sprocket 59, chain 61, sprocket 63 into a rotation of equal magnitude of rod 64 which, acting through clutch 71, causes a rightward displacement of shaft 17 (and therefore of size control wheel 16) of a magnitude equal to that of the rightward displacement of yarn guide 14. i

M'echanism to accomplish requisite function between end of one winding cycle and beginning of the next.

In a winding apparatus of the type described to which the instant invention applies, such as the apparatus disclosed in the Goodhue et al. patent (US. 2,763,443) and the Depuy et al. British Specification 1,022,494, means are provided to accomplish the necessary functions of dofiing a fully wound bobbin, donning an empty one in its place, introducing a starter lead of yarn to the cleats of the newly donned bobbin, returning the yarn guide to its initial position, etc. Where the winding machine is one capable of selectively winding any one of several colors of.

yarn, means must be provided for the selection of the proper yarn for winding and for properly sorting the doffed bobbins as well. Inasmuch as the means for actuating these cycling functions are adequately disclosed in the references disclosing the yarn-winding machines, these will not be fullydescribed herein. Only those elements relating to the cycling functions of the instant invention will now be described.

As may best be seen from FIGURES 2 and 3, a number of cams are mounted on cross-shaft 67. The operation of only two of these will be described herein, the others I controlling cycling functions sufficiently described in the references cited heretofore. The motion of cam 68, mounted foremost on cross-shaft 67 as viewed in FIG- URE 2 is traced by cam follower 68a mounted on finger 6811. As cam follower 63a ascends the crest of cam 68, finger 68b pivoting about its fulcrum 69 depresses an ear 70 mounted on sleeve 40, thereby causing sleeve 40 (and shaft 17 mounted for rotation with sleeve 40') to rotate sharply in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed from the righthand side of FIGURES 2 or 3. This rotation of shaft 17 causes the decoupling of clutch 71 from threaded rod 64 and permits compression spring 65 to exert a left ward thrust upon shaft 17 and thus return it to its leftmost position in abutment against journal bearing 66a of bearing block 66.

The structure of clutch 71 may best be seen in FF"- URES 5 and 6. The bore of the lefthand end of shaft 17 is enlarged somewhat as at 72 in order to receive therein bushing 73 which is bored to receive threaded rod 64. The lefthand end of compression spring 65 abuts and reacts against bushing 73. Side plates 74 and 74:: extend radially from shaft 17 and are held in the properly spacedapart relationship by stub shafts 75 and 75a. As may be seen in FIGURE 6, whereas stub shaft 75 is aligned with its center line directly below that of shaft 17, stub shaft 75a is aligned somewhat off-center from that center line. A window is formed in shaft 17 and bushing 73 by cutting away half of their circumferences for an axial distance long enough to accommodate half-nut 76. The surface formed in shaft 17 and bushing 73, respectively, by the forming of this window is indicated at FIGURE 6 by 17a and 73a.

Half-nut 76 is rotatably mounted on stub shaft 75a. The half-nut is cut out as seen in FIGURE 5 at 76a to receive torsion spring 77 and as indicated in FIGURE 6 at 76b to abut stub shaft 75. Torsion spring 77, one end of which reacts against boss 78, urges the threads of halfnut 76 into contact with the threads of rod 64. Therefore, When shaft 17 is in alignment shown in FIGURE 6, the rotation of rod 64 is transmitted through haif-nut 76 into the rightward translation of shaft 17. As may best be seen 9 at the righthand end of FIGURE 2, as shaft 17 is translated in a rightward direction, compression spring 65 is compressed between the end of bronze bushing 73 (FIG- URE 6) and another bronze bushing 64a carried on the righthand end of threaded rod 64.

At the end of a winding cycle, when the action of cam 68 causes finger 68b to contact ear 70 of sleeve 40 and to rotate it and shaft 17 in a counter-clockwise direction, the lower portion of surfaces 73a and 17a react against the surface of half-nut '76 in order to rotate it in a counter-clockwise direction about stub shaft 75a against the action of spring 77. With the threads of the half-nut 76 thus disengaged from the threads of rod 64, the energy of compression spring 65 is now unopposed, permitting this spring to react against bushing 73 forcing shaft 17 leftward until bushing 73 strikes gasket 73a disposed adjacent to journal bearing 66a.

In order to restrain clutch 71 from rotating with shaft 17, slots 74c and 74d are cut in end plates 74 and 74a respectively (see FIGURES and 6). These slots 74c and 74d ride in rail 79 formed in gear housing H.

In the event that in a winding cycle about to be commenced a yarn is to be wound having different bulk characteristics than the yarn wound in the previous cycle, another of the yarn diameter adjusting screws 35 will be brought into cooperation with anvil element 33 during the cycling process by means (disclosed in the said Depuy et al. reference) which effect a rotation of plate 37 (FIG- URE 2) about its pivot 37a. Inasmuch as some of the yarn diameter adjusting screws 35 may be adjusted to protrude below plate 37 more than others, it is possible that the tip of one may strike anvil element 33 during the rotation of plate 37. To avoid this, cam 80, mounted on crossshaft 67 (see FIGURE '5) reacts upon cam follower 80a carried by finger 80b, which like finger 68b is pivoted on pin 69. The outer tip of finger 80b engages the wedge portion 34 of rocker arm 23 and depresses it by pivoting it about stub 24 to extend tension spring 25 (all of which is best seen in FIGURE 4) during the rotation of plate 37.

The operation of all of the cycling cams is on a time basis. Once winding commences on a newly donned bobbin, and for as long as the mechanism associated with cam 68 keeps shaft 17 rotated to its extreme counterclockwise position, lever arm 48 and the linkages connected therewith will keep cam 52 rotated in a counterclockwise position about stud 24, thus pushing pin 57a and with it anvil 33 to the left and assuring a minimum rate of advance of yarn guide 14 and a maximum buildup of yarn diameter. The rotation of cam 68 is timed in such fashion that shaft 17 is rotated back to its operative orientation by the time that this buildup is complete. The profile of yarn wound on a bobbin by this mechanism shows a steeper buildup to full yarn diameter as compared to the yarn on bobbins wound by the previously known equipment. Obviously, therefore, bobbins wound by such equipment carry more y-arn than those wound on previously known equipment.

Another embodiment of the instant invention is achieved by modifying the apparatus described above in the fashion now to be disclosed in order to provide apparatus capable of Winding yarn upon a bobbin to a yarn diameter which varies according to a predetermined profile. Thus, for example, yarn may be wound so that the yarn diameter tapers along the length of the bobbin in any desired fashion.

This modification of the invention is indicated schematically in FIGURES 9 and 10. Size control wheel 16 is again fully rotatably mounted on shaft 16a, which protrudes from support arm 16b as in the embodiment of the invention heretofore disclosed. In this embodiment, however, support 16b is pivotally attached to arm 93 at pivot 92. Arm 93 is releasably clamped by means of screw 93b to shaft 17 to permit its rotation therewith. At the lower end of support arm 16b cam follower wheel 90 is roiii tatably mounted, Cam follower contacts profile cam 91 during the progress of a winding cycle.

As in the embodiment heretofore disclosed, shaft 17 and size control wheel 16 attached thereto move in a rightward direction during the course of Winding a bobbin due to the rotating action of threaded rod 64 cooperating with clutch 71. (FIGURE 2.) As may best be seen in FIG- URE 10, when the rightward movement of shaft 17 also causes cam follower 90 to climb an ascending portion of profile cam 91, arm 93 will be urged at pivot 92 to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction about shaft 17. As has already been seen, counter-clockwise rotation of shaft 17 acts as a signal that the yarn diameter is too large, speeding up the traverse of yarn guide 14 and resultin in the Winding of a bobbin with a smaller yarn diameter.

Thus can be seen that when profile cam 91, as shown in FIGURE 9, ascends at a constant rate from left to right, the disclosed mechanism causes the machine to wind a bobbin having a constantly decreasing yarn diameter from left to right. Conversely, a profile cam descending from left to right as viewed in FIGURE 9 would cause the disclosed mechanism to wind at bobbin having a constantly increasing yarn diameter from left to right. Based on this disclosure, one skilled in the art could readily determine the profile of a cam required to produce any desired shape of yarn profile wound upon a bobbin.

At the end of the winding cycle, when shaft 17 is rotated sharply in a counter-clockwise direction by the mechanism heretofore disclosed, pins 94 and 95 act as stops to the extent to which support arm 16b may pivot about pivot 92. These pins serve a similar function at the beginning of a Winding cycle when shaft 17, and thus support arm 16b are rotated in a clockwise direction to place size control Wheel 16 in contact with the mass of yarn on a bobbin. It will be noted that by positioning cam follower 99 on the same side of shaft 17 as size control Wheel 17, no interference is offered by cam 91 to the end of cycle rotation of the described elements about shaft 17.

What has been described is illustrative of certain embodiments of the instant invention. Other embodiments thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art and are within the scope and spirit of the invention disclosed here. For instance those skilled in the art will recognize the applicability of the invention disclosed herein to other types of winding machinery. Furthermore the application of the instant invention to provide mechanisms capable of making fine adjustment in lost motion transmission devices employed in other types of machinery is Within the capability of one with ordinary skill in this art.

We claim:

1. In a machine for winding yarn upon bobbins comprising means for rotatably supporting a bobbin, means for imparting a given rotational speed to said bobbin, yarn guide means adjacent to said bobbin for supplying yarn in a radial plane thereto, and means for advancing said yarn guide means axially of said bobbin at a rate proportional to said rotational speed, the improvement comprising combining therewith means for continuously sensing the yarn diameter on said bobbin and means responsive thereto for adjusting the proportion of said rate to said rotational speed and thus correcting any deviation in the yarn diameter from the desired magnitude thereof.

2. In the machine of claim 1, the improvement wherein said means for sensing comprise a wheel mounted on a rotatable shaft and resilient means urging said wheel into contact with said yarn on said bobbin, and wherein said proportion of said rate to said rotational speed is adjusted in response to the magnitude and direction of the rotation of said shaft.

3. The improvement of claim 2 further comprising means for advancing said wheel axially of said bobbin in unison with said yarn guide.

' 4. In the machine of claim 1 the further improvement comprising means operative at the beginning of a winding cycle to override the means responsive to said means for sensing and to adjust the said proportion so as to advance said yarn guide at a minimum rate, whereby said desired magnitude of yarn diameter obtains over a greater proportion of said bobbin.

5. A winding machine comprising supporting means for axially rotatably supporting a bobbin; drive means to rotate said supporting means at a given rotational speed; a yarn guide adjacent to said bobbin to deliver yarn in a radial plane thereto; yarn guide traversing means to translate said yarn guide axially of said bobbin; directionselective means to actuate said traversing means in one direction; cam means associated with said drive means;

' motion-transmitting means following said cam means and adapted to oscillate said direction-selective means with a frequency proportional to said rotational speed; speed controlling means limiting the extent to which said motion transmitting means follow each rotation of said cam,

7 thereby controlling the amplitude of said oscillation; yarn diameter detection means contacting said bobbin mounted on a rotatable shaft and adapted to rotate said shaft in response to variations in said yarn diameter; and means responsive to the rotations of said shaft to adjust the operation of said speed control means to change the extent to which said motion transmitting means follow each rotation of said cam, thereby adjusting the rate of translation of said yarn guide and the yarn diameter.

6. The machine of claim 5 wherein said speed controlling means comprise striking means disposed at an adjustable distance from anvil means associated with said motion transmitting means, wherein said anvil means comprise an anvil element and a wedge element maintained in sliding relationship by resilient means and wherein said means responsive to the rotations of said shaft slide said anvil element relative to said wedge element thereby changing the distance between said striking means and said anvil means and thus altering the extent to which said motion transmitting means follows said cam.

7. A machine for winding yarn upon bobbins comprising:

supporting means for axially rotatably supporting a bobbin;

drive means to rotate said supporting means at a given rotational speed;

a yarn guide adjacent to said bobbin to deliver yarn in a radial plane thereto;

a threaded traverse rod supporting said yarn guide whereby rotation of said traverse rod produces translation of said yarn guide axially of said bobbin;

direction-selective means to rotate said traverse rod in one direction;

cam means associated with said drive means;

a rocker arm pivoted on a fixed support having afiixed thereto a cam follower to cooperate with said cam, means to engage said direction-selective means for oscillation, and anvil means;

striking means juxtaposed with respect to the striking surface of said anvil means to create a predetermined clearance therebetween and to lift, when said striking means engage said anvil means, said cam follower from said cam for a portion of each rotation thereof and thereby limit the amplitude of said oscillation of said direction-selective means;

yarn diameter detection means contacting said bobbin mounted on a rotatable shaft and adapted to rotate said shaft in response to variations in said yarn diameter;

and means responsive to the rotations of said shaft to adjust the said clearance between said striking means and said anvil means and thereby to change the rate of rotation of said traverse rod and thus the yarn diameter.

8. The machine of claim 7 further comprising adjusti2. ably resilient means to urge said yarn diameter detection means into contact with said bobbin with a desired degree of force.

9. The machine of claim 7 wherein said anvil means comprise an anvil element slidingly cooperating with a Wedge-shaped surface on said rocker arm and wherein said means responsive to the rotations of said shaft slide said anvil element on said wedge-shaped surface, thereby adjusting the said clearance between said striking surface and'said striking means and altering theportion of each rotation of said cam duringwhich said cam follower is lifted therefrom. a

10. The machine of claim 9 further comprising resilient means to urge said anvil element against said wedge shaped surface. 7

11. The machine of claim 9 wherein said means responsive to said rotation of said shaft comprise a lever adapted to rotate with said shaft, a bifurcated link mounted to pivot about a fulcrum in response to rotations of said lever, and a pin rotatably holding said anvil element between the tynes of said bifurcated link for sliding on said wedge-shaped surface.

12. The machine of claim 7 further comprising means to rotate said shaft sharply and thereby remove said yarn diameter detecting means from contact with said bobbin at the end of a winding cycle and until the stabilization of the next winding cycle, and means to override the said means responsive to the rotations of said shaft and to reduce the said clearance between said anvil means and said striking means to the minimum setting during the interval that said shaft is thus sharply rotated.

13. The machine of claim 12 wherein said means to rotate said shaft sharply comprise a protruding ear fixed for rotation with said shaft, a cam adapted for timed rotation, a pivoted finger, cam follower means on one end of said finger and means on the other end of said finger to engage said ear and rotate said shaft, and resilient means to counter-rotate said shaft.

14. The machine of claim 12 wherein said means responsive to said rotation of said shaft comprise a lever adapted to rotate with said shaft, a bifurcated link mounted to pivot about a fulcrum in response to rotations of said lever, and a pin rotatably holding said anvilelement between the tynes of said bifurcated link for sliding on said wedge'shaped surface and wherein said means for overriding comprise a second lever fixed for rotation with said shaft, a pivotally mounted second cam linked for pivoting in response to rotation of said second lever, the surface of said second cam adapted to bear upon said pin and thereby urge said anvil element toward the high end of said wedge.

15. The machine of claim 14 wherein said lever is adapted for rotation with said shaft by means of an annular hub on said lever encircling said shaft, an arcuate key-way in said hub cooperating with a key fixed for rotation with said shaft and resilient means urging rotation of said lever about said shaft in the direction of said sharp rotation.

16. The machine of claim 7 further comprising advancing means to advance said rotatable shaft axially of itself in the direction of advance of said yarn guide, clutch means to couple said shaft to said advancing means, means to decouple said clutch at the end of a winding cycle, and means to return said shaft to its initial position upon being decoupled from said advancing means.

17. The machine of claim 12 wherein said rotatable shaft is hollow and adapted for telescoping over and enveloping a threaded rod, said machine further comprising said threaded rod, means to rotate said threaded rod in proportion to the rotation of said traverse rod, clutch means for translating said shaft in the direction of advance of said yarn guide in response to the rotation of said threaded rod, means to decouple said clutch in response to the sharp rotation of said shaft, and means 13 to return said shaft to its initial position upon being decoupled from said rod.

18. The machine of claim 17 wherein said rotatable shaft had a window cut in a portion of the circumference thereof and wherein said clutch comprises a stub shaft mounted parallel to said rotatable shaft, adjacent thereto and opposite said window, a half-nut with threads mating those of said threaded rod, said half-nut being mounted on said stub shaft to permit rotation thereof into and out of threaded engagement with the portion of said threaded rod exposed by said window, and sliding engagement means to permit the translation of said clutch while preventing the rotation thereof.

19. The machine of claim 18 further comprising spring means to urge said half-nut into threaded engagement with said-threaded rod.

20. The machine of claim 12 wherein said striking means are a plurality of adjustable screws selectively juxtaposable with respect to said anvil means, said machine further comprising clearing means responsive to a signal indicating that a winding cycle has come to an end, said clearing means adapted to increase the distance between said striking means and said anvil means in order to remove said anvil means from the locus of said striking means during the selection of one of the adjustable screws thereof.

21. The machine of claim 20 wherein said clearing means comprise a cam rotated on a timed basis and a pivoted finger, one end of said finger adapted to 'be urged by said cam and the other end thereof juxtaposed to said anvil means to effect their removal from said locus.

22. In a machine for winding weft yarn upon bobbins comprising supporting means for axially rotatably supporting a bobbin; a drive shaft to rotate said supporting means at a given rotational speed; a yarn guide adjacent to said bobbin to deliver yarn in a radial plane thereto; a threaded traverse rod supporting said yarn guide whereby rotation and axial translation of said traverse rod each produce translation of said yarn guide axially of said bobbin; direction-selective means to rotate said traverse rod in one direction; cam means associated with said drive shaft; a rocker arm pivoted on a fixed support having afiixed thereto, on one side of its pivot, a cam follower to cooperate with said cam and means to engage said direction-selective means for oscillation thereof, and also having afiixed thereto on the other side of its pivot, anvil means; striking means juxtaposed at a preselected clearance from said anvil means adapted to lift, when said striking means and said anvil means engage, said cam follower from said cam for a portion of each rotation thereof and thereby limit the amplitude of said oscillation of said direction-selective means; additional cam means associated with said drive shaft and cam follower means responsive thereto adapted to oscillate said traverse rod axially in proportion to said rotational speed, the improvement wherein,

said anvil means comprise an anvil element slidingly cooperating with a wedge-shaped surface on said rocker arm and resilient means urging said anvil element against said wedge-shaped surface,

and wherein there is combined with said machine yarn diameter detection means mounted on a rotatable shaft and adapted to rotate said shaft in response to variations in yarn diameter,

and means responsive to said rotations of said shaft to slide said anvil element relative to said wedgeshaped surface to thus alter said clearance and thereby said yarn diameter.

23. The improvement of claim 22 wherein said means responsive to said rotation of said shaft comprise a lever adapted to rotate with said shaft, a bifurcated link mounted to pivot about a fulcrum in response to rotations of said lever, and a pin rotatably holding said anvil ele ment between the tynes of said bifurcated link for sliding on said wedge-shaped surface.

24. The improvement of claim 22 wherein said rotatable shaft is hollow and adapted for telescoping over and enveloping a threaded rod, said machine further comprising said threaded rod, means to rotate said threaded rod in proportion to the rotation of said traverse rod, clutch means for translating said shaft in the direction of advance of said yarn guide in response to the rotation of said threaded rod, means to decouple said clutch in response to the sharp rotation of said shaft at the end of a winding cycle, and resilient means to return said shaft to its initial position upon being decoupled from said rod.

25. The improvement of claim 24 wherein said rotatable shaft has a window cut in a portion of the circumference thereof and wherein said clutch comprises a stub shaft mounted parallel to said rotatable shaft, adjacent thereto and opposite said window, a half-nut with threads mating those of said threaded rod, said half-nut being mounted on said stub shaft to permit rotation thereof into and out of threaded engagement with the portion of said threaded rod exposed by said window, spring means to urge said half-nut into said threaded engagement and sliding engagement means to permit the translation of said clutch while preventing the rotation thereof.

26. The improvement of claim 22 further comprising a protruding ear locked for rotation with said shaft, a cam adapted for timed rotation, a pivoted finger, cam follower means on one end of said finger and means on the other end of said finger to engage said ear and thus to sharply rotate said shaft, and resilient means to counterrotate said shaft, whereby said yarn diameter detecting means are removed from contact with said yarn on said bobbin at the end of a winding cycle and until the stabilization of the next winding cycle.

27. The improvement of claim 26 wherein said means responsive to said rotation of said shaft comprise a lever adapted to rotate with said shaft, a bifurcated link mounted to pivot about a fulcrum in response to rotation of said lever, and a pin rotatably holding said anvil element between the tynes of said bifurcated link for sliding on said wedge-shaped surface and further comprising means to override the said means responsive to the rotations of said shaft and to reduce the distance between said anvil means and said striking means during the interval that said shaft is thus sharply rotated, said means to override comprising a second lever fixed for rotation with said shaft, a pivotally mounted second cam linked for pivoting in response to rotation of said second lever, the surface of said second cam adapted to bear upon said pin and thereby urge said anvil element toward the high end of said wedge.

28. The improvement of claim 27 wherein said lever is adapted for rotation with said shaft by means of an annular hub on said lever encircling said shaft, an arcuate keyway in said hug cooperating with a key fixed for rotation with said shaft and resilient means urging rotation of said lever about said shaft in the direction of said sharp rotation.

29. The winding machine of claim 5 further comprising means to rotate said shaft in accordance with a predeter-mined pattern as a function of said translation of said y-arn guide axially of said bobbin.

30. The winding machine of claim 6 further comprising profile cam means, and means responsive to said profile cam for rotating said shaft as said yarn guide is translated axially of said bobbin, whereby said machine is controlled to wind said bobbin to a yarn diameter which varies in accordance with a predetermined pattern imposed by said profile cam.

31. The improvement of claim 24 further comprising profile cam means and cam follower means to rot-ate said hollow shaft in response to the conformation of said profile cam means as said shaft is translated in said response to said rotation of said threaded rod.

32. A transmission device for transmitting an adjustable fraction of the amplitude of the motion of a cam 15 follower to a driven means comprising a medially pivoted rocker arm operatively engaging said driven means, said cam follower disposed on said rocker arm on one side of .its pivot, anvil means disposed on said rocker arm on the other side of said pivot, striking means spaced at a desired distance from said anvil means to strike said anvil means during a point in'the cyclic motion of said rocker arm and thereby restrain said rocker arm, and means responsive to a torque signal acting upon said anvil means to alter said distance and thereby said fraction of amplitude.

33. The transmission device of claim 32 wherein said anvil means comprises an anvil element slidingly disposed on a wedge-shaped surface and said means responsive to a torque signal to slide said anvil element relative to said wedge-shaped surface.

34. The transmission device of claim 33 further comcontact with said wedge-shaped surface.

Reference s Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,028,609 6/1912 Ryden 242-27 1,087,367 2/1914 Harvey et al. -24231 2,009,922 7/ 1935 Heinitz 24231 2,217,146 10/1940 Swanson 242-31 2,267,899 12/1941 Dersen 242--31 2,670,147 2/ 1954 Joyce 242--27 2,681,183 6/1954 Muschamp et a1. 24227 2,726,821 12/1955 Enabnit -242'31 2,763,443 9/1956 Goodhue et al. 242-27 STANLEY N. GILREATH, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A MACHINE FOR WINDING YARN UPON BOBBINS COMPRISING MEANS FOR ROTATABLY SUPPORTING A BOBBIN, MEANS FOR IMPARTING A GIVEN ROTATIONAL SPEED TO SAID BOBBIN, YARN GUIDE MEANS ADJACENT TO SAID BOBBIN FOR SUPPLYING YARN IN A RADIAL PLANE THERETO, AND MEANS FOR ADVANCING SAID YARN GUIDE MEANS AXIALLY OF SAID BOBBIN AT A RATE PROPORTIONAL TO SAID ROTATIONAL SPEED THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING COMBINING THEREWITH MEANS FOR CONTINUOUSLY SENSING THE YARN DIAMETER ON SAID BOBBIN AND MEANS RESPONSIVE THERETO FOR ADJUSTING THE PROPORTIONAL OF SAID RATE TO SAID ROTATIONAL SPEED AND THUS CORRECTING ANY DEVIATION IN THE YARN DIAMETER FROM THE DESIRED MAGNITUDE THEREOF. 